The Assam Police on Friday honoured 21 police officers from across the state for their “outstanding contributions to child protection and child-friendly policing”, officials said.
The awards were presented during the third edition of the Assam Police Sishu Mitra Programme, under which the Sishu Mitra Champion Awards recognise police personnel who have shown exceptional sensitivity and commitment in handling cases involving children.
Senior officers among awardees
Those honoured included Devojyoti Mukherjee, Inspector General of Police (Border), Barun Purkayastha, Senior Superintendent of Police, Sonitpur, Nabaneet Mahanta, SSP, Goalpara, and Muzaffar Hussain, Additional Superintendent of Police, Udalguri.
Other recipients included Rituraj Doley, Phulkan Narzary, Parmita Sarkar, Zubin Bora, and Dr Niharika Kashyap Borgohain, among others.
Jury’s Choice Award
Devojyoti Mukherjee received the Jury’s Choice Award, with the jury citing his supervisory role in the investigation of sensitive child abuse cases in Nagaon and Hojai districts as a key factor in the decision.
Special recognition for stakeholders
Special Recognition Awards were also presented to officials from the Women and Child Development Department, Guwahati Medical College Hospital, and Pragjyotishpur Medical College, acknowledging their role in strengthening child protection mechanisms and advancing child rights through inter-departmental coordination.
Focus on empathy and justice
Assam Director General of Police Harmeet Singh said the awards reflect the force’s continued focus on empathy and sensitivity while dealing with children.
“The Assam Police, under the aegis of the Sishu Mitra Programme, has undertaken sustained efforts to strengthen the capacity of police personnel to deal with cases involving children in a sensitive and empathetic manner,” he said, adding that the awards aim to inspire officers committed to securing justice for children.